Staying in GC

[bridgediver]

I know another post about where to stay... I've got it narrowed down to 3 though.


I'm looking at a Feb trip to GC and can't decide on east end (at the Reef Resort) or Treasure Island Condos in the 7 mile area. Wife is non-diver so must have beach, son is new diver so maybe 2-4 shore dives before we do the boat diving. We'd also like to spend a day or 2 touring.
If I stay at the east end is it really that bad to go back and forth 3-4 times over 10 days? Or potentially more if the weather is snotty...

Also looking at Aqua Bay but thats getting a bit past the budget.

Any info on these 3?

thanks

mark

 

[ianr33]

Depends how much you like driving! Not my idea of a vacation.

Just an idea. Ocean Frontiers are 5 minutes down the road from The Reef.They do night dives inside the protecting reef.Very sheltered and very shallow (15 feet??) That might be a good place to do some shore dives with your son .

There are some excellent shore dives on the North East coast but they are not for beginners. I believe Ocean Frontiers will now rent tanks for shore diving. (they have been hesitant at best to do so in the past)

 

[nipi]

OF will rent tanks for US$15 (!).

 

[ianr33]

OF will rent tanks for US$15 (!).

Sounds like they need some competition!

Tortuga Divers are you listening??

Although the shore dives on the NE coast are my absolutely favorite thing to do in Cayman,the lack of available tanks is why I stay in West Bay and make the odd pilgrimage to the East End. Guess I am not the demographic that most shops aim at

 

[bridgediver]

Depends how much you like driving! Not my idea of a vacation.

That's why my question. How much time is the drive?
I was thinking of the more popular shore dives on the west end ie turtle reef, cobalt sunset etc

Sorry I wasn't too clear on that

 

[diversteve]

From the East End, Cobalt Coast and Turtle Reef would have to be more than an hour each way. I think Georgetown is almost 45mins. so Sunset House would be closer. As would Eden Beach, while not a great site imo, it would be good for your son as it's shallow and fairly interesting. We dove all three and Turtle Reef was the best.
It took us fifteen minutes to drive from TICondos to Turtle Reef. But they were still building the Hyatt then so there was some traffic congestion in that area.

We stayed at TICondos 3 years ago. They're clean and fairly new. Their "beach" consisted of sand with a snorkel spot offshore - pre-Ivan. 50' south of it there was a really nice stretch of beach in front of some other condos. Somewhere on the TI website it recommends going there instead. Notice the TICondo beach description says "for sunbathing" that's because the waterfront edge is mostly ironshore. You can see it in the picture if you look close.

TICondos is in an area that requires a car - it's too far south of most of everything on SMB. There were two restaurants within reasonable walking distance, one was more a bar/niteclub than a restaurant - but no way you'd walk to the market from there as they mentioned on their website - the market is just a short distance south(west?) of the airport.

Also there's something going on with the TI Resort next door since Ivan. I've heard various stories that it's being torn down, turned into a Christian College etc. Some of the condo amenities - the bars, most of the pools, were on the resort property. So you might want to check into that. I saw this posted on the condos website recently: Note: some of the hotel amenities are being upgraded, please contact our office for the latest information.

And afaik, Bob Sotos was the onsite "diveshop" and they closed post-Ivan. As did TIDivers who ran boats out of a dock just south of there. But this won't be a big issue since the diveop vans pickup at TI and if you shoredive you'll be renting tanks from the on-site operator, it's the way things are done there.

One last thing, when booking call the 800# - rather than doing it via e-mail. We were offered a free upgrade to an ocean view condo by the reservations agent without asking.

 

[ianr33]

That's why my question. How much time is the drive?
I was thinking of the more popular shore dives on the west end ie turtle reef, cobalt sunset etc

Sorry I wasn't too clear on that

It could probably take up to 90 minutes to get from the East End to the Turtle Farm if you were driving at rush hour. The traffic on Cayman can be surprisingly bad.

 

[Damselfish]

with 10 days, you might think about splitting the trip between 2 places. Get your shore diving and shopping and whatever in on the west end, then head to the east end for boat diving and relaxing on the beach.

 

[billinwilliamston]

We stay at Morritt's (next door to the Reef) and dive Turtle Reef every time we're down. It's a 45 minute drive at most*.

*except during evening rush hour heading back East. You can easily double the commute if you try to leave town between about 4:30 and 6:00.

 

[Drew Sailbum]

OF will rent tanks for US$15 (!).

Sometimes. YMMV.
I have referred numerous divers to them for just that reason only to have them turned away.